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Home My WebLink AboutMN-BPAC-2013-02-05CITY OF ITHACA BICYCLE & PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA Tuesday February 5, 2013 — 5:30 p.m. Second Floor Conference Room — City Hall In attendance: Members: Dave Nutter, BPAC chair - person Daniel Keough, BPAC secretary Jan Schwartzberg Garin Danner 6:47pm Rob Morache, BPW Liaison <member attendance times entered for voting purposes> --------------- - - - -- Expected absence: Steve Williams --------------- - - - -- Public attendance: David West, Cornell Professor City and Regional Planning; Randell -West Andy Goodell 1. Introductions 2. Agenda modifications 3. Public comment - 5 minutes David West, Professor who teaches in City and Regional Planning spoke of the detriments of minimum parking requirements on housing and upon bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. The minimum law, is not well calibrated for development. Zoning is forcing the suburbanization of our city. Every time you are forcing the parking, you are decreasing the space and the likelihood of people will use walking or biking as a means of transportation. With buildings that have more parking, it encourages more driving. A Collegetown apartment building study by Randell -West, presented by David showed all residents who said their building did not provide parking, paid for parking somewhere else. Ten percent of residents living in buildings with parking parked on the street. Garin brought up some concerns that people in Belle Sherman were concerned with spillover from people who may be living in a building that does not provide any or 'enough' parking. Daniel mentioned that he heard stated by a city official, in a public meeting, announce how effective that the RPPS is, since her husband had received a parking ticket in front of their house due to not having their permit on display. The RPPS has proven to be effective with the concern of spill -over. The minimum parking requirements are seen by some as a good thing because it prevents more dense development. The requirement does exactly the opposite of what the City intended. Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Council Resolution Recommendation to Common Council to Abolish Minimum Parking Requirements BPAC passed unanimously 215113 WHEREAS mandating the provision of parking through minimum parking requirements encourages higher levels of car use and ownership and WHEREAS higher levels of car use divert resources from other modes and WHEREAS higher levels of car use create less -safe conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians and WHEREAS parking requirements contribute to sprawl by creating parking spaces that could otherwise be used for housing and other infrastructure WHEREAS sprawl increases travel times and distances making alternative forms of transportation less viable WHEREAS Minimum Parking Requirements encourage the demolition of buildings for parking, the erosion of the street - scape, and the diminishment of the pedestrian experience and WHEREAS abolishing the minimum parking requirements will allow for a wider variety of uses that further enhance the pedestrian experience WHEREAS current zoning policy leading to an over - supply of off street parking forces all providers of parking, including the City, to subsidize the cost of parking with higher rents, cost of goods, and taxes which burden non - drivers with the costs of driving and WHEREAS allowing the market to determine how much parking will be supplied will create conditions whereby a fair price will be charged to drivers for parking, relieving non - drivers of this cost, therefore be it RESOLVED that BPAC supports efforts to eliminate the minimum parking requirements, city- wide, in all zoning districts. And be it further RESOLVED that BPAC supports the creation of Parking Benefit Districts, in which meter revenue is spent where it is collected for bicycle, pedestrian, and transit infrastructure, as an equitable way of funding such infrastructure. Maple Ave: Coal Yard Cafe has asked for two on- street parking. The cafe already has off - street parking and the idea is that if they are allowed to have these two spaces, it hoped that two cars parked on the street would make the business seem more active. The plan is to have the on street spaces for show. This on- street space has already been scheduled to have a bicycle lane striped. Resolution to the Board of Public Works recommending maintaining the dedicated bicycle lanes on Maple Avenue passed unanimously by BPAC 2/5/13 WHEREAS the Ithaca Bicycle Plan as adopted in 1998, intends that Maple Avenue will have a bicycle lane and WHEREAS Maple Avenue is the logical next part to the climbing bicycle lane from downtown and to the East Hill Recreation Way and WHEREAS the addition of on- street parking conflicts with approved plans and WHEREAS the business requesting on- street parking currently has off - street parking and WHEREAS the south -side on- street spaces requested would require U -turns for use by most morning commuters which is a potential hazard to cyclists and motorists therefore be it RESOLVED that on- street parking not be introduced on Maple Avenue and be it further RESOLVED that BPAC requests that a climbing bicycle lane be striped on Maple Avenue when funding is available. Andy reviewed his resolution regarding lane width. Dave N. brought up a concern where the Rt. 89 Bridge would qualify for these recommendations, but this resolution's recommendations should not apply to the Rt. 89 Bridge. » » »» Resolution to BP regarding striping recommendations promoting bicycle and motor vehicle safety on hills Unanimously passed by BPAC 215113 WHERAS cyclists and motorists have the same rights to use all public highways excepting limited access highways, and WHEREAS Ithaca promotes using all modes of transportation, reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality, and relieving traffic congestion, and WHEREAS cyclists and motorists traveling uphill are often at a high speed differential, and WHEREAS slow moving vehicles travel on the right hand side of the highway, and WHEREAS installing the double yellow center lines on a highway to provide a wider uphill lane can promote safe and legal passing of slow moving vehicles, and WHEREAS appropriating bike lanes where at least five feet of additional roadway space is available can reduce traffic congestion, and Whereas a narrower downhill lane with "Bikes May Use Full Lane" signage installed provides the safest way for cyclists and motorists to share a downhill lane on a highway, Whereas highways are re -paved occasionally and lane markings are re- painted annually and be it RESOLVED that all future lane marking installations on hills will [be minimized as close to IIft as possible going downhill,] and an uphill lane as wide as possible, including a bike lane when the overall lane width is at least 16 feet." and be it further RESOLVED that these recommendations do not apply to the Rt 89 bridge over the Flood - Control Channel for which BPAC has separate recommendations. Funding opportunity - Region 3 NYSDOT will get 5 projects, we are looking at various projects that Tim Logue had mentioned. The DPW proposal to NYSDOT must be decided by 22 Feb. Economic development- the Black Diamond trail is beneficial for tourism as well as working towards Ithaca gaining Bicycle Friendly Community status through League of American Bicyclists. A bridge continuing Cecil Malone over the Flood - control Channel would be very helpful. Dave N suggests putting together a list of BPAC resolutions and voting items. Jan offered the space at Tatem if BPAC needs an alternate meeting place, since due scheduling to security costs at City Hall. >Support Complete Streets Concept BPAC would like to see sidewalks on both sides, having them just on one side promotes jaywalking, such as on Old Elmira Rd. Make sure sidewalks continue across the driveway, as a sort of cross -walk, instead of just having a solid driveway coming out from parking lot to the street. Drain grates around the city: if possible the drains should not affect the bike lane at all, or be of minimal size, and certainly be of the variety that removes the risk. We discussed how the public good of the sidewalk should not be financed by the adjacent owner. The owners at the Old Elmira Rd meeting seemed to be against sidewalks being built on one or both sides almost complete, with the largest concern being the price, but another important concern is that the assessment price, though acknowledged by the City as erring on the side of more expensive than actual cost may be, some owners have been quoted a price half as much as the assessment, quoted from licensed contractors. 4. Approval of January minutes Not voted upon Adjournment: 7:45